Cali Cheer Mom

Meet an author Monday

2011-06-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, peeps!

Here we are, the last author blog hop at Cali Cheer Mom (don't forget I'm moving to my author blog beginning July 1st.)

Before we get to the hop, I'd like to remind you all of a very special project I'm participating in. I'm very proud to be a part of Omnific Publishing's Summer Lovin' Anthology. There are two anthologies releasing on July 5th: Summer Breeze and Heat Wave. If you click on the titles, you'll be directed to Omnific's website where you can see a small blurb for each of the books, as well as the participating authors. All proceeds from these two works will be going directly to Save The Ta-Tas foundation in support of breast cancer research.

If you've read any of my work you know I lean toward the shmexy side (rawr!) so you'll find my story, Starstruck in the Heat Wave anthology. I wrote this story a few years ago as a small break in between projects (EOS and Pleasures Untold.) It's sexy, silly and a lot of fun, and I hope readers enjoy it as much as I do.

Here's the blurb for the story:

Forced off the freeway with a blown tire, Amberly's day was off to a bad start. Tired of her boring, predictable life, all she wants is to get through her day and put the blind date she's been roped into for later that evening behind her. What she didn't account for was the tall, dark, sex-on-a-stick Good Samaritan who came to her rescue, or the cosmic explosion that would forever bind them together.

Tired of dating money-grubbing, plasticized garden tools, Tristan wants a girl who will love him for who he is and not his millions. What he doesn’t want is to waste another evening making nice with a blind date he’s not interested in. He never expects to find the woman of his dreams standing alongside a cornfield with a blown tire, or to end up chasing a fallen star that gives them both strange, supernatural powers.

Fiercely attracted to one another, Amberly and Tristan find they can keep their newly acquired superpowers in check as long as they’re together. The new lovers treat each other to an afternoon of passion neither will soon forget. After discovering his Sugar, Amberly, is in fact his blind date for later in the evening, Tristan pulls out all the stops in order to surprise the woman who has bewitched him body and soul.

On to the hop!

Authors! Have a book out? Are you under contract for publication? Make sure you join in the hop. This is a great way to network your blog and let readers know who you are!

Here's how it works:

READERS:

Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many "new to you" authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well. Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog! We'd love to chat with you!

AUTHORS:

Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.
You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.
Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don't create a post for the hop, your readers won't have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!
The purpose of the hop is to meet "new to you" authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!
If you'd like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.

Authors! The more you promote this hop, the more successful it will be. Tweet about it. Post a link on Facebook. Talk about it on your blogs. Let's get the word out!

Virtual book tour- Love, Capri Style by Lynn Reynolds

2011-06-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! Please join me in welcoming author Lynn Reynolds as she talks about her latest release, Love, Capri Style.

Capri – In My Mind, I’m Already There
Hello Lisa and friends! Thanks for having me at the Cali Cheer blog – and congratulations on your Top Pick at Night Owl Reviews for Obsessed, Lisa.

I’m Lynn Reynolds and my ebook, Love Capri Style, is (not surprisingly) set on the glamorous Mediterranean island of Capri. The first question people usually ask me is whether I’ve ever been there. Surprisingly, the answer is no. Even more surprisingly, many other writers have penned novels set in places they’ve never visited. Diana Gabaldon had never been to Scotland when she wrote Outlander, the book that launched a thousand Scottish Highland romance novels.

Like Ms. Gabaldon, I was motivated mostly by curiosity and desperation. I love to travel and I’ve always wanted to go to Capri but never managed to get there. Finally, I decided to send one of my characters there and live vicariously through her. The Internet was a fantastic tool for this project. I checked out tourism sites set up by the Italian government, but I also went to YouTube and found videos from people who’d vacationed on Capri. I checked out blogs people wrote about their favorite gelato shops in Capri. I interviewed a couple of friends who’ve been to Capri.

It really worked. In my mind, I’ve already been to Capri – and I hope readers will get the same feeling from my vivid descriptions of the island, its glamorous lifestyle and its food. Located on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, Capri has been a luxury resort since the time of the ancient Romans. Today, Capri is still a playground for the wealthy, and I tried to capture that feeling in my story about Amanda, a hapless magazine reporter covering a music festival on the island, and her whirlwind romance with its dashing sponsor, British playboy Eric Greyford.

You can’t set a story on an Italian island without including lots and lots of food and drink. Mine has saffron gnocchi, gelati and limoncello, all described in lush and delicious detail, thanks to consultations with a couple of well-traveled professional chef friends. In fact, writing this book was a great way to vacation in Italy without gaining an ounce. I’m hoping readers will enjoy my low-cost, low-cal tour of one of Italy’s most romantic settings as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Book blurb:

Amanda Jackson only took the job with Fame magazine to get closer to her estranged father, billionaire publisher Peter Tate. Instead of welcoming her, Dad sends her out of the country, to cover a music festival on the magnificent isle of Capri. There Amanda finds herself up close and personal with her dad’s leading competitor – dashing British playboy Eric Greyford. Can she get an exclusive on Eric’s hectic love life, or will she wind up as just another item on the gossip pages of his newspaper?

Excerpt:

Amanda turned her attention to the array of dishes spread out before them.
"What's this one?" She pointed her fork at some little yellow dumpling shapes.
"That, my dear, is saffron gnocchi with shaved truffles."
Amanda gaped at him, then let loose with a full, throaty laugh. "Wow, you pull out all the stops to impress a woman, don't you?"
"Only some women." He looked away again, at the tablecloth, as if he'd embarrassed himself.
Amanda pretended she hadn't heard him and concentrated her attention on the food. "That sounds decadent. I've got to have it."
The gnocchi melted in her mouth, leaving a savory tang on her tongue. Amanda gave a little shiver, her eyes flickering shut with sheer delight. The food, the starry sky above – even if she went home without a story and got fired, at least she'd always have the memory of this night and this dinner. With this man. When she opened her eyes, Eric's gaze burned into her own, his blue the cold, deep color of the ocean that lay beyond their little haven amongst the fairy lights. He stared at her with an intensity that made her feel naked and defenseless.
Oh, he would be fierce in bed. Maybe even a little rough, domineering. Sometimes being a control freak could be a good thing, though. Amanda struggled to swallow past a lump in her throat.
Eric leaned forward and spoke, his voice low and husky with restrained desire.
"I told you you're a woman of strong appetites. I intend to satisfy all of them."

About the author:

I’m a writer, a wife and a mom - although not necessarily in that order. I’m a city girl trapped in Green Acres.

In my other life as a journalist, my feature articles have appeared in major daily and weekly newspapers. Remember those? My short stories and poetry have been published in a few obscure literary mags that you've never heard of. At various times in my life, I've also been a child model, an actress, a stagehand, a secretary, a seller of ladies' lingerie and - in a brief fit of practicality, a computer programmer. My secret ambition is to be a wench at the Renaissance Faire.

I write romances because I truly do believe in Happily Ever After.

Visit my website at http://www.lynnreynolds.com
I'm on Facebook way too much of the time. Friend me there at https://www.facebook.com/authorlynnreynolds
I don't blog often, but I am a regular contributor to the PopCultureDivas blog at http://www.thepopculturedivas.com/
My own blog can be found at http://lynnreynolds.blogspot.com/

Giveaway:

In conjunction with Goddess Fish Promotions [www.goddessfish.com], Lynn is giving away some cool prizes as a part of her Love Capri Style summer blog tour. One lucky commenter on this tour will win a $15 Amazon gift card and a copy of Colbie Caillat’s CD Coco, featuring the songs “Capri” and “Bubbly.” For more detail about the tour click HERE. Be sure to leave a comment to be entered!

Meet an author Monday

2011-06-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, peeps!

It's gonna be a scorcher here this week, with temps hitting the three digits. Finally! It finally feels like summer! The girls and I will be bathing in sunscreen, hitting the pool and catching some rays. Woohoo!

Don't forget, July 1st marks the start of my move over to my author blog and the Sizzling Summer Author Extravaganza. That's thirty one days of guests posts and giveaways from your favorite authors. Woot!

Curious to see who's participating? Find out here. And make sure to give me a follow while you are there!

Last, but certainly not least: I'm running a giveaway for people who sign up for my newsletter. Anyone who subscribes prior to July 31st is entered to win a free e-copy of my erotic suspense, Obsessed. Woot!

On to the hop!

Authors! Have a book out? Are you under contract for publication? Make sure you join in the hop. This is a great way to network your blog and let readers know who you are!

Here's how it works:

READERS:

Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many "new to you" authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well. Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog! We'd love to chat with you!

AUTHORS:

Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.
You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.
Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don't create a post for the hop, your readers won't have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!
The purpose of the hop is to meet "new to you" authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!
If you'd like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.

Authors! The more you promote this hop, the more successful it will be. Tweet about it. Post a link on Facebook. Talk about it on your blogs. Let's get the word out!

Name Before the Masses tour with Sara Reinke

2011-06-16T05:31:00.000-07:00

Please join me in welcoming author Sara Reinke to Cali Cheer Mom!

Let's get right to it!

Paranormal romance, particularly with vampires are hot right now. How do you keep your stories fresh and different from the rest?

I’m constantly brainstorming ideas. In my head, I’ve built a pretty intricate history for the origins of my vampires, and I use that as the foundation. I’m inspired by history in general, and enjoy discovering ways in which my vampires could have really come to develop and prosper as a separate, secreted race. In my new release, Dark Passages 2: Pilar & Elías, for example, readers are introduced to the Nahual—a new species of vampire who are separate from but similar to the Brethren. According to Mesoamerican folklore, a nahual was a witch capable of transforming into animal form in order to prey on human blood. In the story, they’re a race that has descended from the same creature from whom the Brethren originate as well (the Brethren called this the “Abomination;” among the Nahual, it’s called a “Wayob.”)

The Nahual are all of Central and Southern American descent, as I imagined their ancestors would have migrated from Europe by sneaking aboard Spanish ships to wherever the conquistadores traveled. I envision similar distinct races of vampires could have developed all over Europe, Asia, even Africa—any place this common ancestor might have been driven in search for blood. This gives me countless avenues to explore for future storylines, a virtually endless well of creative possibilities.

What is a typical writing day like for you?

I don’t think I have a “typical” day twice in a row, lol. I work full-time, go to nursing school at night, have a terrific husband, two kids, two cats, a dog…you know the drill. Writing for me is very much catch-as-catch-can because my schedule is so crazy, but I always make time for it whenever possible. I figured out a long time ago that writing stories is my true, singular passion, and I’d do it whether anyone reads them or not. I think when it’s in your heart, you can’t shake it, no matter what—so go with it.

Who is your favorite character from each of your new releases?

I’m torn because I love both Pilar and Elías from Dark Passages 2: Pilar & Elías, but for different reasons.

When writing Pilar, I wanted to present a strong, powerful, fierce woman, but one who could also be soft with the man who wins her heart. There are scenes in the book when Pilar is really violent; her rage and hatred keep her motivated and driven. But whenever Elías is around, she’s torn—because he brings out in her a vulnerability she doesn’t want or understand. She’s one of the Nahual, a vampire, and he’s human; their love is very much forbidden among her people.

For his part, Elías was wonderful to write because he’s so passionate about Pilar. He loves her and wants her—body, mind and soul, and he struggles to resist her because he thinks it’s the right thing to do by her. During the course of the book, he’s introduced to the world of the Nahual, and is forced to change his entire way of thinking about and looking at the world—and Pilar.

The coolest thing about Dark Passages 2: Pilar & Elías from a reader’s standpoint, I think, is that even though it’s Book 5 in The Brethren Series, because it introduces new characters and a new breed of vampires, readers can jump right in, even without having read the previous books, and not feel lost.

Readers will also find an “About the Brethren” page at www.sarareinke.com that fills them in on the series to date, and the different characters introduced so far, if they haven’t read any of the preceding titles. (You can also check out the hot promotional video for Dark Passages 2: Pilar & Elías at my website!)

Plus, for a limited time, readers can subscribe to my e-Newsletter and receive a FREE ebook copy of Dark Thirst, Book One in The Brethren Series. There’s no better way to be introduced to the world of the Brethren vampires than with the book that started it all!

BACK COVER BLURB:

Pilar Cadana has one thing on her mind: revenge against Pepe Cervantes, the vampire who murdered her father. But her plan to get close to him by working as a stripper in his nightclub backfires when she meets Elias Velasco, the police detective assigned to her father's case. Pilar has known tremendous heartache, sorrow and loss, but in Elias's arms, she feels safe enough to trust again...and even dare to love. But as the passion between them grows, so too does the danger -- because Pilar has dark secretes of her own. And while she's everything Elias wants, he may just prove to be everything Pilar needs.

EXCERPT:

Son of a bitch, Elías thought as he fought with the tie wrapped snugly around his wrists. After a furious moment’s effort, he worked the knots loose and freed himself. Scrambling to his feet, he hurried after Pilar, catching sight of her across the club as she hurried for the dressing room.

Son of a bitch, he thought again—as much referring to himself as his own frustration with the unexpected situation. God, how could everything that had been so perfect in one moment get so completely fucked up in the next? Pilar had been astride him, he’d watched her beautiful face soften, her brows lifting, her lips parting in a soft, sweet O as she’d approached climax—not a dream this time, not one of his fantasies, but real and warm and with him. And then, with one stupid, thoughtless utterance, he’d ruined everything. He’d driven her away.

I can explain, he’d told her. Yeah, he thought bitterly. Good luck with that one, Elías. What are you going to say? “I’ve been watching you dance for weeks now, Pilar, and I’ve fallen in love with you. Only thing is, one of the guys who killed your father and sexually assaulted you has been found laid out like day-old ham salad in the bayou, and the wheel base for the motorcycle your brother gave you matches one I found at the crime scene. So even though I think about you all the time, dream about you, wake up in the middle of the night reaching for you, that doesn’t change the fact that I think Valien might have used your bike to hunt Miguel Torres down and kill him.”

Yeah. He managed a coarse, humorless laugh. That should clear everything up.

“Wait,” he said, rushing to catch up and intercept her before she could get through the door and escape. He caught her elbow and she whirled, catlike, eyes wide. “Please.”

“Don’t touch me,” she snapped, wrenching herself loose.

“I’m sorry.” Holding up his hands, palms facing her, he said it again. “I’m sorry.”

“Forget it.” Turning on her heel, she marched toward the door again.

“Pilar.”

He said it quietly so that if anyone else happened to be in earshot, they wouldn’t overhear, but loudly enough so that she would. She froze in her tracks, her entire body stiffening.

She turned slowly to face him and he could tell from her face, her rigid posture, that she was thinking about bolting into the dressing room, hiding from him, not coming out until firmly convinced he was long gone and ancient history.

“Don’t you ever call me that again,” she seethed, almost inaudible, and God, the look of wounded, bewildered betrayal in her face nearly shattered him. “Do you hear me?”

“Please.” Elías kept his hands raised. “I just want to talk.”

The corner of her mouth twitched. “Yeah? That’s not what seemed to be on your mind a few minutes ago.”

“I know that,” he conceded, shamefaced. “And I’m sorry. With all my heart, Pilar, I’m sorry. I promise you—I swear to God that’s not why I came here today. I just…” His voice trailed off and he raked his fingers through his hair. I just lose my head whenever I see you. Madre de Dios, woman, you’re so beautiful and you were right there in front of me. I couldn’t think straight…couldn’t think at all!

“Yeah, and next you’ll tell me you didn’t like it, didn’t want it,” Pilar shot with a frown.

“God, no,” he said, blurting it out, taking himself as much by surprise as her by the frank admission. “I did like it,” he whispered, his brows lifting. “And I did want it…more than anything.” I want you more than anything, he added in his mind, pressing his lips together momentarily to stifle the words. More than you can know. “That’s why I couldn’t stop myself. Or you.”

His confession had visibly deflated her fury, at least for the moment. “Please,” he said. “Just hear me out.”

A heavy hand fell against his shoulder, a low voice with menacing intimacy in his ear. “Hands off the lady.”

Elías turned in start and found one of the club’s very large, very imposing security guards standing there, dressed in a white tuxedo shirt and cummerbund, both stretched tautly across the broad expanse of his chest.

“This guy bothering you, Destiny?” the bouncer asked Pilar gruffly. “You want me to show him to the door?”

Because Elías suspected the man was using “show” in its loosest possible interpretation, he was grateful when Pilar shook her head.

“No, Joey. It’s okay.”

The bouncer, Joey, leveled his surly gaze at Elías for another moment, then growled, “Keep your hands to yourself. House rules.” Then with a reluctant glower—as if he’d been hoping for the chance to forcibly eject Elías from the building and thus highlighting what had otherwise been a boring day for bouncing—Joey turned and walked away.

“Here.” Pilar reached down and took the money Elías had given her out of her waistband. “Take this back. I don’t want it.”

He shook his head. “It’s yours.”

She locked gazes with him, stony and cold. Opening her fingers, she let it drop to the floor. “I don’t want it.”

“Wait.” She tried to leave again, turning away, but he caught her arm. This time, she didn’t try to fight her way free, but she awarded him a look that could have passed as a deadly weapon. “Please. I need to talk to you.”

“About what?” she asked, huffing out a put-upon sigh.

“Miguel Torres,” he said, leaning toward her, speaking softly again. He didn’t miss the startled intake of her breath or the way her gaze darted abruptly away, like that of a cornered animal surveying its options for escape.

“What about him?” she asked.

Stepping closer, tilting his head, Elías spoke softly into her ear. “He was found dead in the middle of Highway 1226 this morning, half-eaten by alligators.”

He felt a slight tremor work its way through her, whether a shiver at the revelation of Miguel’s discovery or at his proximity, his breath rustling her hair, he couldn’t be sure. Because in all the weeks he’d been coming to Melaza and all the times he’d watched—longing, envious—as Pilar had danced for other men, he’d never seen her perform for anyone as she had for him. More than just a dance, she’d moved against him, responded to him like a lover. Like she’d wanted him too.

“What…what’s that have to do with me?” she asked, close enough now so that when she glanced up at him, her cheek dragged lightly against his own, and when he moved in turn to meet her gaze, his mouth hovered just above hers, so close…

Madre de Dios, he thought, agonized, as he fought the impulse to lean in and kiss her. Mother of God.

“You tell me,” he breathed.

Her hands fell lightly against the front of his shirt; then she pushed him away. “Not here.”

“Pilar…”

Her brows narrowed. “I said not here.”

“Then tell me where. Tell me when.”

Again, her eyes swept nervously about. “I…I don’t know.” He reached for her, but she shook her head and backed away. “I’ll call your office. I’ll let you know.”

And with that, she was gone; with a sparkle of sequins and a flip of blonde hair, she hurried toward the dressing room, letting the door fall sharply shut behind her.

You can find more info about Sara at:

Home: http://www.sarareinke.com

Blog: http://sarareinke.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Sara-Reinke/100001807057213

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaraReinke

Meet an author Monday

2011-06-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday peeps!

Before we get to today's hop, I wanted to give you a quick reminder about a few big things that are coming up soon.

First: As of July first I will be moving Cali Cheer Mom over to my author blog permanently. Yep, I'm moving! The scope of this blog has changed from what it once was, and it makes more sense to use my author site from this point forward as the majority of my blogging is about writing. (Oh yeah...I do have a small blog about my P90X journey. Feel free to take a peek here!)

Second, but no less important: July 1st marks the start of my Sizzling Summer Author Extravaganza. That's thirty one days of guests posts and giveaways from your favorite authors. Woot!

Curious to see who's participating? Find out here.

Last, but certainly not least: I'm running a giveaway for people who sign up for my newsletter. Anyone who subscribes prior to July 31st is entered to win a free e-copy of my erotic suspense, Obsessed. Yeah, baby! My newsletter will only go out a few times a year, so no worry about me clogging your inbox. Don't delay, sign up today! Hee hee...I made a rhyme :)

On to the hop!

Authors! Have a book out? Are you under contract for publication? Make sure you join in the hop. This is a great way to network your blog and let readers know who you are!

Here's how it works:

READERS:

Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many "new to you" authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well. Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog! We'd love to chat with you!

AUTHORS:

Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.
You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.
Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don't create a post for the hop, your readers won't have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!
The purpose of the hop is to meet "new to you" authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!
If you'd like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.

Authors! The more you promote this hop, the more successful it will be. Tweet about it. Post a link on Facebook. Talk about it on your blogs. Let's get the word out!

Virtual Book Tour-The Promise by Tory Richards

2011-06-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Please join me in welcoming author Tory Richards to Cali Cheer Mom!

Let's jump right in and talk about The Promise.

Was Ryan hesitant to keep his promise?

Definitely! Ryan is my hero in The Promise. He's a Marine who comes home for the holiday season for the first time in years, to keep a promise he made to his dying brother. And that is to take care of his wife Shannon, and their baby daughter.The problem? Ryan has been secretly in love with Shannon for years. Ever since he looked across his father's grave and met her eyes for the first time.

Guilt of loving and wanting Shannon prevents Ryan from wanting to keep his promise. He survived Iraq when his younger brother didn't; he blames himself for that. And he feels like he's betraying his brother. Every time he's near Shannon he wants her, and every time he gets closer to losing control and giving in to his desire. Ignoring her becomes impossible when it becomes obvious that she is attracted to him, too.

Only his mother knows how he feels. But fear that Shannon will hate him, or somehow blame him for what happened in Iraq, keeps Ryan from telling her the truth.

Blurb:

Shannon Hayes’ husband David was killed in Iraq nearly a year ago, and now she
must face her first holiday season without him. With a toddler in tow, she travels to the
Vermont farm where the rest of the family has gathered for the holidays. There she comes
face to face with the man who was with him when he died, and her destiny, his older
brother Ryan.

For the first time in years, Ryan returns home to keep a promise he made to David—
to take care of Shannon and their daughter. It’s a pledge Ryan is reluctant to keep
because he’s been secretly in love with Shannon since first setting eyes on her. Their
attraction to each other is instant, intense and soon the promise isn’t the only thing
between them.

Excerpt:

“Damn it to hell!” Ryan swore under his breath, after Shannon took off. The kitchen
door was still swinging back and forth and he could hear her running up the stairs. He
should have known she’d be there. After all, she was part of the family. And always
would be now that she had Alivia.

Why the hell had he come home? He knew the answer to that the minute the thought
materialized. Because of the vow he’d made to David. But that was only the half of it.

He dropped his fork, made a tight fist, anxious to hit someone. If flying shrapnel
hadn’t wounded him, and he didn’t have a leg on the mend he probably wouldn’t have
come back. He could have remained on base during the holidays. Only the thought of
staying there alone hadn’t been very appealing. And maybe deep down he’d wanted to
see Shannon again. Wanted to see if he still found her as attractive as he had the first time
he’d laid his eyes on her.

It was worse than he remembered. The years he’d remained away had been for
nothing, he could see that now. What he’d thought had diminished over time had sprung
to life the moment he’d opened the front door and fell headfirst into her cat-like eyes.
Every time he made the mistake of looking at her sensuous mouth all he wanted to do
was grab her and kiss her breathless.

Maybe he was being punished for all the lives he’d taken. Slowly being driven
insane by a woman he couldn’t have. Everyone had to pay penance for their sins but did
it have to come in the way of his dead brother’s wife? The only thing he could hope for
was that Shannon never realized how he felt. And the only way that could happen was to
stay the hell away from her.

Releasing an angry breath he got to his feet, taking his plate to the fridge, his appetite
gone now. He might as well get a shower and turn in, and pray for a night of relief. As he
limped through the house, he flipped off the lights, and grabbed his duffel bag before
heading up stairs. The heat from the shower would do his leg good.

His bedroom was the first one at the top of the stairs. It was only natural to open the
door without knocking. He had no reason to believe he’d find anyone in there. But as the
door swung open the first thing his gaze landed on was that his bed had been turned
down, the playpen and then the huge suitcase on the floor next to it.

The second thing he noticed was humming coming from the bathroom...

A little about Tory Richards…

Tory is a multi-published, best-selling author who was born in Maine but lives in Florida with three crazy cats. She likes to travel, preferably by cruise ship, and doesn’t like to fly but she will if she has to. She collects antiques and art, loves chocolate (who doesn’t?) and good coffee.

Tory has wanted to be a writer since she was a kid, but life got in the way of her dreams. A few years ago, with the support and encouragement of her family, she decided to get serious. Her romances are laced with humor and filled with suspense and sizzling sex.

Giveaway:

Tory will be giving away a $15 gift card to Bath & Body to one random commenter along the tour. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win!

Meet an author Monday

2011-06-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, peeps!

Hope you all had a fantabulous weekend. My family and I spent most of the weekend celebrating my youngest's eight birthday. The rain didn't hold anyone back, and she and most of her friends ended up in our pool yesterday during our big BBQ. Good times!

Okay then, enough about me. On to the hop!

Authors! Have a book out? Are you under contract for publication? Make sure you join in the hop. This is a great way to network your blog and let readers know who you are!

Here's how it works:

READERS:

Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many "new to you" authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well. Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog! We'd love to chat with you!

AUTHORS:

Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.
You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.
Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don't create a post for the hop, your readers won't have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!
The purpose of the hop is to meet "new to you" authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!
If you'd like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.

Authors! The more you promote this hop, the more successful it will be. Tweet about it. Post a link on Facebook. Talk about it on your blogs. Let's get the word out!

Virtual book tour- Quintspinner by Dianne Greenlay

2011-05-31T22:33:00.000-07:00

Good morning, peeps!

Please join me in welcoming author Dianne Greenlay, as she talks about her debut novel, Quintspinner.
Details about her giveaway at the end of the post! Enjoy!

Hello, and welcome, Dianne!

Hey Lisa, thanks for hosting me today! And congrats on your own tour for Obsessed. Book tours are a wonderful way to meet people and connect, aren't they? And speaking of sharing, here is more than you maybe wanted to know about my writing journey....

Who was your favorite character to write? I started off, being most in love with my protagonist, Tess. She is young, impetuous, and headstrong, in a time that it was dangerous for a woman to be so. I have two daughters and I wanted my story's main character to be someone that they could relate to. I also have four sons, and so shortly into the plot, a secondary character, William, became a fellow who had traits that I admire in my boys. (Equal representation keeps peace in the family, ya' know?). Mrs. Hanley worked her way into my heart as well - I didn't even know that she was going to be part of the adventure until she appeared, but once she did, I just had to keep her around. (My loyalties are fickle, I know.)

Likewise who was the most difficult? Spoiler alert!: Edward, Tess's dangerous fiance was the hardest to bring to life. I knew he was going to be the least trust-worthy and his evil qualities had to go undetected for quite a while, so hints at his real character were subtle, but like most evil characters, he's manipulative while he attempts to present himself in a more favorable light. Readers have told me that they were totally drawn in by his deceit.

What inspired you to write about pirates? I came across a search result of "women pirates" and found it intriguing. Before that, I was under the mistaken impression that women were not allowed on ships, let alone to be crew members. To some extent this was true - a woman on board a ship was often considered to be "bad luck" by superstitious sailors - but there are many documented cases of women having become renowned (and quite vicious) pirates through the ages. At first I was fascinated by the stories of Mary Read and Anne Bonny, two of the most famous pirates, but their stories have been told numerous times and the details of their lives have been argued over by thousands of people worldwide. One could never write a better story about them than what has already been done. In reading about them, I learned that life in the 1700's was very intense and often gruesome - great stuff for fiction.

Initially, I thought that I could write my own story, in the same time and place, and perhaps have my characters interact with Anne and Mary. My characters, however, had different ideas and took the story on adventures that had no time or room to include the famous ladies. Nevertheless, pirates, famous or not, seem to have a universal appeal to nearly everyone. An editor that I worked with suggested that I make my protagonist's age 16 to entice the YA audience as well as cross-over into adult. This seems to have worked well as Quintspinner has won Book Awards in both YA and Historical categores.

My pirates are not warm and fuzzy, like Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow, but they are not the blood-spilling buccaneers of people's nightmares either. (Well, maybe not buckets of blood any way....) Once I was immersed in the story, I could actually see the sea battle going on in my mind, and after writing a scene of cannons blasting, (sniff, sniff) I thought my clothes even smelled a bit smoky. (How's that for getting into a story?) Maybe it was just the breakfast bacon I'd cooked....

Do you find writing in a historical setting a challenge? Ha ha! I had no idea of what I was getting into when I started. Writing in the historical genre is very time-consuming, not for the writing of the actual story, but for all of the research that must be done. Fortunately it didn't seem like an exceptional amount of work at the time, because I was enjoying learning about ships, sailing, and the down-and-dirty of day to day life back then. It's only in retrospect that I now realize that authors who write in other genres set in present day don't have to spend quite so much time just learning about their characters' lifestyles.

Readers are very smart and many have a wide knowledge base - the story will be ruined for them if there are glaring errors in the historical details, so the author has a responsibility, I think, to stay pretty close to the facts as we know them. That's not to say that a little bit of literary license can't be taken or (my personal favorite) embellishments done, but don't give eighteenth century historical characters machine guns and wrist watches! (Unless, of course, there's a time travel element... hmmm, and a pirate ship suddenly manifests in the middle of Central Park in New York City... Quick! Back to the keyboard, Matey! I feel a new book coming on!)

Blurb: In the year 1717, 16 year old Tess Willoughby witnesses a murder near a London marketplace and becomes the keeper of a legendary Spinner ring. Even so, she never imagines that she will find herself an unwilling passenger on a merchant ship bound for the pirate-infested waters of the West Indies and forcibly betrothed to the murderer. Longing to be with William, a young press-ganged sailor, but unable to escape her dangerous fiance's clutches, Tess struggles to survive in her new set of circumstances. During a pirate attack, she unravels the legacy of her strange Spinner ring and its power, realizing that her own life and those of everyone she loves, are in jeopardy. As a powerful hurricane overtakes the ship, a slim opportunity for her own escape presents itself, and she is forced to make the most chilling decision of her life.

Having won multiple Book Awards, (ReaderViews, ForeWord Connections, Creative Arts Council, Sask Book Award, Eric Hoffer Award) Quintspinner is a tale of pirates, secrets, betrayal, and romance on the seas of the West Indies, all bound together by a dash of ancient magic.

Excerpt 1:

The Crone's fingertips remained in light contact, feathering over the skin of Tess's birthmark. Her touch seemed to produce a soft buzz on Tess's neck. Pulsating warmth, not unpleasant, spread down her neck, but still Tess shrank from the woman's touch.

"Aye," the seer clucked to herself, "Her soul knows the Touch, it does." Again the green eyes shone from the dark recess of the hood as though lit from within. She peered closer at the birthmark. "Aye, a Spinner ye be, yet truly ... a Quintspinner," she exhaled in an awed whisper.

"A what?" Tess once again felt the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stand up.

"Lass, ye bear the mark of the Source. A silhouette of the acorn, seed of the most powerful tree and lasting life form of this land in which ye were born. And it trails five seedlings below it." She held Tess in her stare. "Five spinners will seek ye in your lifetime. May ye live to harness their power." She grasped Tess's hand in her own.

"You're crazy, old woman! Let me go!" Tess pulled her hand back, but the woman held fast. Her grip was surprisingly strong and Tess's hand remained locked between the deformed digits; a bejewelled band of gold encircled one of the twisted fingers.

A sudden loud knock on the door made them both jump. A wisp of fear flickered in the Crone's eyes, and then it was gone, replaced by a look of grim expectancy. She freed Tess's hand and stared at the door. "Hide yourself so as not to be found!"

The knock swelled into a fierce pounding.

Dianne's Bio: Saving lives by day (physiotherapist, EMT) and spinning lies by night ( writer/author and playwright/director of Community Theatre), I live on the Canadian prairies with my husband in a lovely historical home that we share with a consortium of cats. Having raised a family of 6 kids ( and, amazingly, everyone lived through it!) , I have plenty of their escapades still fresh in my mind, to weave into my fiction. Whenever possible, I travel to exotic locales to research my novels and to seek out new adventures to fuel my already overactive imagination.

Links:

Web page www.diannegreenlay.com

blog http://www.writeonthewaytosomewhere.blogspot.com

Facebook Group http://on.fb.me/kFmjca

book trailer http://youtu.be/HPltUhH-b2w

available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Chapters/Indigo

Giveaway details:

Dianne will be giving away a Quintspinner T-shirt and a $10 Amazon GC to one random commenter along her tour. The more you comment, the greater your chance of winning! For information regarding other tour stops, check out Goddess Fish Promotions.

Meet an author Monday

2011-05-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial day!

Before we get to the hop, I'd like to take a minute to give a special shout of thanks to all those in the military who risk their lives on a daily basis to keep us safe. You're heroes, truly the best of the best. Thank you!

On to the hop!

Authors! Have a book out? Are you under contract for publication? Make sure you join in the hop. This is a great way to network your blog and let readers know who you are!

Here's how it works:

READERS:

Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many "new to you" authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well. Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog! We'd love to chat with you!

AUTHORS:

Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.
You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.
Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don't create a post for the hop, your readers won't have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!
The purpose of the hop is to meet "new to you" authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!
If you'd like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.

Authors! The more you promote this hop, the more successful it will be. Tweet about it. Post a link on Facebook. Talk about it on your blogs. Let's get the word out!

We have a winner!

2011-05-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday, peeps!

I'm happy to announce the winner of a signed copy of Eve Of Samhain is......

insert drumroll.....

........

........

Margaret!!! I will be emailing you shortly. You have three days to respond after which I will draw a new winner. Thanks for your participation, and congrats!!

Have a great day!!

Virtual Book Journey- Review- Dead Undead Or Somewhere In Between by J.A. Saare

2011-05-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

One bad corpse can ruin your whole day.

No one knows that better than Rhiannon Murphy.

She’s left behind the flash and sass of Miami for the no-nonsense groove of New York City, eager for a clean slate and a fresh start. A bartender by trade, a loud mouth by choice, and a necromancer by chance, she’s managed to keep her nifty talent hidden from those around her--until now.

The deliciously good-looking vampire Disco knows her secret, and when he strolls into her bar to solicit help investigating the mysterious disappearances of his kind from the city, she discovers he’s not the kind of person that appreciates the significance of the word no.

But in a world where vampires peddle their blood as the latest and greatest drug of choice, it’s only a matter of time before the next big thing hits the market. Someone or something is killing vampires to steal their hearts, and unlike Rhiannon, this isn’t their first stroll around the undead block.

My review:

The first book in J.A. Saare's Rhiannon's Law series, Dead Undead Or Somewhere In Between is a gritty, well-written, fast-paced story that hooks you from the first page and keeps you reading when you should be doing other things (chores, feeding your children, lol!)

The heroine, Rhiannon, is a necromancer who sees the "twice deceased"–– spirits of vampires who have been killed along with your regular garden variety type ghosts. As you can imagine, this special gift isn't all it's cracked up to be, and she's not exactly excited with her ability to see the recently deceased. The following is a quote straight from Rhiannon:

Necromancy—or as it is defined in the dictionary, divination by means of the spirits of the dead—is a bitch, and I hate the hell out of it. I see some pretty insane shit—whether I want to or not. Since the state a person dies in is the state they maintain in spirit, it’s a constant box of chocolates, and I don’t mean the momma always says kind either.

Death by heart attack—just another day at the office. Death by electrocution—not so bad. Death by car, head sliced neatly open with brain matter galore—beyond all concepts of nasty.

This brings me to Rhiannon's voice, which I just have to say I absolutely love. There's no simpering, waffling or whining from this heroine. Nope. Rhiannon is kick ass, knows who she is, what she wants and isn't afraid to let people know. Here's another quote of hers I just love:

My temper flared before I could bite it back. Erica wasn’t the only one with a big mouth. I was constantly in danger of writing checks my ass couldn’t cash, the bearer of a lifelong disease of potty mouth that no amount of soap in this world could properly cleanse.

The hero in this story is Disco, a super shmexy vampire on a mission to save his rapidly disappearing brethren. Hottie Boy is all kinds of yummy, and despite her dislike and fear of vamps, Rhiannon finds herself drawn to him. Honestly, I can't blame the girl. Disco is a big ball of goodness stuffed into a perfect package. He's handsome, strong, possesses a ton of power, yet exercises restraint where Rhiannon is concerned. Here's a quote that showcases this:

“I could be a crass bastard and dig around in that head of yours, just forgoing any manners and say to hell with the impropriety. But I won’t, because I want you to come to me, Rhiannon. One day, you will trust me enough to ease your burden on my ears, and when that day arrives, I will gladly listen.”

Here's another swoon-worthy quote that sent me tingling in all the right places:

“I just want to hold you,” he told me, his voice a smooth, soothing caress once again. “I’m going to hold you all night and keep your nightmares at bay. Close your eyes and think of somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. I’ll make sure you get there.”

Dead Undead Or Somewhere In Between is a fabulous read I highly recommend to any reader who enjoys adult paranormal romance or urban fantasy. Author J.A. Saare paints a wonderful picture of Rhiannon's world, using vivid descriptions, sharp wit and snappy dialog. Can't wait to read book two!

You can find more info about J.A. Saare here:

Author website
Goodreads
Twitter

You can purchase Dead Undead or Somewhere In Between:

Mundania Press
Amazon (Kindle)

Meet an author Monday

2011-05-23T06:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, peeps!

I'm all kinds of giddy this morning. The hubby and I are taking the girls to see Glee Live tonight!! Woot!

Yes, we are total Gleeks. My two youngest even made signs to hold while we sing and dance, lol! Should be a lot of fun. I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best to snap a few pics to share with you all :)

On to the hop!

Authors! Have a book out? Are you under contract for publication? Make sure you join in the hop. This is a great way to network your blog and let readers know who you are!

Here's how it works:

READERS:

Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many "new to you" authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well. Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog! We'd love to chat with you!

AUTHORS:

Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.
You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.
Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don't create a post for the hop, your readers won't have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!
The purpose of the hop is to meet "new to you" authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!
If you'd like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.

Authors! The more you promote this hop, the more successful it will be. Tweet about it. Post a link on Facebook. Talk about it on your blogs. Let's get the word out!

Virtual Book Tour- Their Lady Gloriana by Starla Kaye

2011-05-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone! Please join me in welcoming author Starla Kaye to Cali Cheer Mom as she talks about her latest work, Their Lady Gloriana. Along with her guest post, Starla will also be doing a giveaway! Details provided at the end of the post!

Thank you so much, Starla for joining me today. Let's talk a bit about Their Lady Goriana. Which character was the most challenging for you to write?

I enjoyed writing the stories of each of the three main characters: Thomas, Gloriana, and Rowan. Each of them had rough backgrounds and tough things to deal with at all times. Thomas had been married before, had a son he had rarely seen from a wife he hadn’t loved and who had cheated on him, and he has a male lover when his king orders him to marry Gloriana. Gloriana learns the same day that her abusive husband died, that she is being ordered to marry another equally hard warrior, who arrives with his first knight, a man she realizes Thomas is close to in many ways. Rowan has had lover after lover before finding Thomas, possibly losing Thomas, and discovering he is also drawn to Gloriana. Each of these characters was challenging to write about, but I will focus here on Thomas.

Thomas was the main hero of this story. He had never even thought about making love with another man, until circumstances changed for him and Rowan on the battlefield. Rowan is the only man who draws him and they have a special bond. Thomas is an honorable man and must do as his king has requested: take another wife that he doesn’t want and accept holding her valuable piece of land and castle. But he is torn. He must honor the marriage and find a way to live with his new wife. Yet there is Rowan, a man/lover he is not willing to give up. He didn’t expect to fall in love with Gloriana. He didn’t expect to be willing to share either of his lovers: Gloriana or Rowan.

There was so much more going on with Thomas than just the complicated relationship between him and Rowan and Gloriana. You will have to read the story to find out what drove him and what a special man he was in Their Lady Gloriana.

Author Bio: Starla Kaye has worn many hats professionally and as a writer. She works part-time with her husband (who believes he is the model example for each of her heroes, “yes, honey, of course you are”) in an accounting firm. A gerontologist by degree, she volunteers in the community with a very active group of senior adults, who provide her with story ideas for senior adult romances she occasionally likes to write for fun. She is a multi-published author on-line in e-book and Print-On-Demand book form, writing as both Starla Kaye and S. K. Fero for Black Velvet Seductions, Blushing Books, Decadent Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.

Book blurb: Think medieval times when honorable men must do what is required of them. Thomas Lancaster, a widower with bad memories of marriage and a young son he barely knows, is a hardened knight loyal to his king. In reward for his efforts fighting in the Crusades, King Edward gives him Middlemound Castle to hold for the crown. But he must marry the beautiful young widow of the castle’s previous lord.

Lady Gloriana Stewart suffered brutally in her first marriage and has no desire to marry again. She has no choice and must protect her people and obey her king. All she wants is for her new husband to give her a baby. Thomas refuses to even consider it.

Complicating the situation is Sir Rowan Montgomery, Thomas’s first knight, friend, and lover. Complicating the problem even more, Gloriana has feelings for both her new husband and for Rowan.

Excerpt: Lady Gloriana could barely draw in a breath. Her life with Geoffrey had done this to her. He’d battled down her self-worth, her dreams of having a happy family, and her natural zest for life. She needed to find the strength to face this new marriage to this war-hardened warrior. She had to make him respect her. Most of all, she had to endure relations with him until he got her with child.

The great hall rang with the sounds of joyous reunions. She heard the deep tone of an unfamiliar voice. It rang with authority, with power, much like Geoffrey’s voice had. Yet something about it drew her instead of repelling her. Something about it called to her woman’s place and she felt warmth spreading there. The reaction surprised her.

Her focus moved to the raised dais. Two such different—and yet the same—men stood there drinking cups of ale. Neither smiled. Both seemed to study her.

Gerald guided her to the dais. “Lady Middlemound, my lord.” He nodded toward the two powerfully built men. “Lord Montrose, my lady. And Sir Montgomery, his first knight.”

“Thomas,” Lord Montrose said and stepped down in front of her. He towered over her by at least a foot. His breadth and brawn made her heart race. Yet she didn’t feel intimidated by him.

Then the other man stepped down. As she glanced up, he gave her a crooked smile. “And you may call me Rowan.”

She felt her heart race even more.

***

Thank you so much for joining me at Cali Cheer Mom today, Starla! I wish you much success with your latest release!

Now, onto the details for the giveaway. Starla has graciously agreed to give away a piece of Medieval-style jewelry to one random commenter along the tour. Woot! Leave a comment for a chance to win. Remember, the more you comment, the more chances you have to win. So, check out the other stops along the way! Additional tour info can be found here.

More info about the author and her books can be found:

Starla Kaye’s website: http://starlakaye.com
Black Velvet Seductions: http://www.blackvelvetseductions.com

Which is better: the chase or what comes after?

2011-05-18T06:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday, peeps!

Hope you're all doing well. I woke up to the tinkly sound of rain drizzling its way down my gutters. The weather out here in California is a bit confused as of late. Someone needs to remind Mother Nature that it's mid May and the sun should be shining!

Now that my mini rant is over, I thought I'd talk about two important aspects of any romance novel: the chase, and what comes after (also typically known as HEA or happily ever after.)

If you're a fan or romance novels, and especially if you write romance, you know you have to give your characters a happily ever after. Whether it be at the end of the book, or if you're writing a series, at the end of book three, readers want to see the characters they've become so invested in happy and settled and with the one they love.

This brings me to my question for you today: which do you prefer, the chase or the happily ever after?

I love a good HEA just as much as the next person, but for me, you can't have a great HEA if the characters haven't had a good journey (chase.) I don't know about you, but I derive a great deal of pleasure in watching the hero and heroine play that back and forth dancing game of will they or won't they. I love screaming at the top of my lungs "kiss her already, dumbass!" and groaning in frustration when one of them does something really stupid that sets their relationship back a few paces.

So, to answer my own question, for me, while I love a good HEA it's the hero and heroines's journey that's most rewarding.

What about you?

Meet an author Monday

2011-05-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, peeps!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Aside from a freak hailstorm (we're talking huge pieces of ice, folks) not a lot happened in the Sanchez home, and that's okay by me. I'm officially diving into my new suspense project this week, so the quiet weekend was a bonus!

Before we get to the hop, I wanted to remind you all I'm giving away a signed copy of Eve Of Samhain in celebration of my one year pub anniversary. If you haven't entered yet, get at it! Entries are low right now, so your chances are good! Giveaway ends May 25th. You can find the link to the contest above :)

Also, don't forget about my upcoming author event.

This is a month long party, peeps! I'm talking guest posts, interviews, giveaways...woohoo! Details can be found at my author website here.

On to the hop!
Authors! Have a book out? Are you under contract for publication? Make sure you join in the hop. This is a great way to network your blog and let readers know who you are!

Here's how it works:

READERS:

Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many "new to you" authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well. Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog! We'd love to chat with you!

AUTHORS:

Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.
You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.
Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don't create a post for the hop, your readers won't have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!
The purpose of the hop is to meet "new to you" authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!
If you'd like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.

Authors! The more you promote this hop, the more successful it will be. Tweet about it. Post a link on Facebook. Talk about it on your blogs. Let's get the word out!

Calen Virtual Tour- Rie McGaha

2011-05-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

Morning, everyone!

Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Rie McGaha, author of Calen, the first book in the My Soul To Keep trilogy.

Today, Rie is going to talk about how she incorporates different elements of Fantasy into her writing. Make sure to check out details at the bottom of the post regarding her giveaway!

It's All Just A Fantasy by Rie McGaha

Although I write romance, I also write in numerous sub-genres and often joke that I sometimes write all the genres in the same story. So it goes with the My Soul To Keep Trilogy. While this story is fantasy romance, it's also a time travel, paranormal, adventure with castles, unicorns, hunky Highlanders, witches, and an evil antagonist who is really, really evil. There are a lot of lighthearted moments, and the love scenes are sizzling hot.

I love writing a book like this because it allows me to create my own world that isn't subject to the natural laws of this world. I can create what I want, the way I want, and my characters can be the perfect hero and heroine, or the dastardly villain. Magic is possible, love is instant and lasting, and everyone lives happily ever after – or not. Whatever happens or doesn't happen is only limited by my imagination and ability to transfer those things from my mind to a document.

No matter what I write, whether a book is filled with suspense, or adventure, murder, or nightmares, it's all fantasy because it comes from a place in my mind that constantly hears the voices of characters I've yet to meet, plots I haven't written, and places I haven't visited. They eventually all come together to create the next fantasy world I'll visit and you have an invitation to come along.

* * * *

Rie McGaha is an author, editor, and reviewer. She has more than a dozen books to her credit, with the other two books of the My Soul To Keep Trilogy being released later this year. You can join Rie, GA Hauser, & Stormy Glenn at Blog Talk Radio, May 14, 2011 at 7 pm CST, followed by a group chat at Erotic Promo. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/eroticpromo/

GA Hauser – http://authorgahauser.com/

Stormy Glenn - http://stormyglenn.com/

Rie McGaha - http://www.riemcgaha.com/

About the author:

Rie McGaha was born and raised in northern California along the shores of Humboldt County where her grandmother often took her to dig for clams and watch the whales migrate. Being raised with the mountains on one side and the ocean on the other, gave Rie a deep love for nature. She has resided in the Kiamichi Mountains of SE Oklahoma where she rescues animals. She is the mother of 12 and Nana of 33 (and counting).

Back cover blurb:

When Calen MacLeod begins having dreams of an ethereal beauty who beckons to him, he passes it off as just having an itch he hasn't scratched in a long time. But when he leaves on a journey to find her, following the directions she's given him in his dreams, he begins to doubt his sanity. And when he finds himself high in the Mackinaw Mountains in a secret fortress with unicorns and a pink and white castle, surrounded by women, each one more beautiful than the next, it's a fantasy no man would want to wake up from. But Arianna is the only woman for Calen.

The women of the Fortress have lived in peace, hidden away from the humans who tried to annihilate them all. But now a 500-year-old demon is out to destroy the women's matriarch, Ariella, and he'll stop at nothing to complete his mission. When Calen MacLeod shows up, he throws a wrench into Damon's plans. Never let it be said Damon isn't ready for anything, but when he kidnaps Arianna and takes her to modern day San Francisco, is he ready to meet Calen, who will stop at nothing to save his ladylove?

Excerpt:

Calen dipped under the water to rinse and came up with a splash, and almost choked when he saw her standing at the water's edge, staring at him. Afraid to move a muscle, he feared she'd disappear if went toward her. He watched, mesmerized as she raised her hands and slipped the thin gown off her shoulders, letting it pool on the ground at her feet. He made a strangled sound as he drank in the sight of her nude body. Never had he seen anyone so beautiful. She took one slow, careful step at a time until she stood less than arm's length from him. Silent and still, he held his breath.
She reached out to him, placed her hand on his bare chest, and let her fingers slide beneath the water over his stomach. He placed his hand over hers and stepped into her. Reaching for her, he touched her silky hair, and let his fingers fall to her shoulders. She was so small, he thought as he looked down at her, the water that barely reached his ribcage rose to her chest, causing her breasts to float and making hard peaks of her nipples.
He grasped her around the waist and lifted her to him. Her hands laced around his neck, weaving through his hair as his mouth met hers and he drank. She opened to him with a sigh and wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands fisted in her hair, pulling her head back as he took the kiss deeper. The air sizzled and popped, the earth tilted, and the wind whipped the branches of the trees. Desire ripped through him, and he pressed her, demanded more from her, and she gave willingly.
His mouth bruised hers as their tongues mated, and his hands slid down her back, over her bottom, and he lifted her. The tip of his hardness pressed against her; with one movement he could be buried deep inside of her. A growl rose from his chest as he fought the urge to slam into her. He would not take her like this, not the first time. So he forced himself to break the kiss, to pull back, and sucked in a lung-full of air. She tilted her head as he looked into her eyes.
***

Details about the giveaway:

One randomly drawn commenter will win their choice of one book from Rie's backlist. Make sure to comment often to up your chances of winning! You can find information about other tour stops here.

You can find more info about Rie and her books at:
Rie McGaha.com

Huge author event coming this July!

2011-05-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday, peeps!

Blogger is back! Hopefully for good. I'm backing up all my files, though, just in case!

In case you missed my post earlier this week, there are some big changes coming our way. I'm going to be slowing phasing out Cali Cheer Mom, and moving over to my author blog/website full time.

Why, you ask?

The answer is: it's time. The focus of this blog is no longer solely about cheer. My interests and focus has changed, and because the majority of my posts are book/publishing related, I think it's best to move to my author website.

I'm hosting a huge author event in July to mark the move and sincerely hope you will all follow and attend. You can find details about who's participating and when here.

The lovely and talented Brenda Pandos made me a beautiful button for the event.

Please feel free to snag the button and display it on your blog. The more people who know about the party the better!

Also, if you haven't yet subscribed to my newsletter, you might want to. I'll be giving away a special prize at the end of the author event to one of my subscribers :)

Make sure to stop by tomorrow and say hello to my special guest Rie McGaha as she talks about her newest release, Calen.

Have a great day!!

Writing in different genres

2011-05-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday, peeps!

Hope you are all doing well. The sun is shining here in Tracy, and I'm filling pretty chipper despite my annoying allergies. Woohoo!

Let's talk about genres today, or more specifically, different sub-genres in the realm of romance. It's no secret I read a ton of paranormal romance. It's my favorite, and I devour books about vampires, ghosts, warlocks etc. like candy. So, when I started writing, it was no big surprise to me that I wrote within the paranormal sub-genre. It's what I like; it's what I know. Make no mistake, I do read other types of books and enjoy them immensely. But, paranormal...yeah, it's been my mainstay for quite a while.

So, if I love paranormal so much, why then did I decided to pen a romantic suspense for my third novel? Why not stick with the genre I'm so comfortable with?

For me, the answer was simple: I needed a breath of fresh air, and writing in a new genre provided exactly that. Everyone needs a break from the things they love every now and then. I love PB&J, but I certainly don't want to eat it morning, noon and night! (Well, when I was pregnant I did, lol!) Sometimes, breaking from the norm and venturing out into something new is just what we need to spark our creative juices and keep things exciting.

I think the same goes with reading. We can really enjoy one type of book, but if we don't venture out and try something new every now and then, we run the risk of burning out. I know the phrase "Variety is the spice of life" is cliched, but it's very true. Well, at least for me, anyway!

What do you think? Is it wise for authors to write in more than one sub-genre within romance? Should they stick to what they know best? Weigh in with a comment.

Don't forget- I'm giving away a signed copy of Eve Of Samhain in celebration of my one year pub anniversary. Click on the link above and enter!

Big changes are coming!

2011-05-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday, peeps!

I've got some big news for you. Don't worry, it's good!

Cali Cheer Mom is moving! That's right. On July first I will be exporting my posts to my author website- Lisa Sanchez Romance Author.

Why, you ask?

The answer is simple: When I started this blog a couple of years ago, I wasn't published and my attention was focused more on my girls and cheer. While I'm still a die-hard cheer mom, the focus of this blog has changed. I'm all about writing and books now, and those type of posts are best kept at my author website.

As I said above, the change won't happen until July 1st. I wanted to make sure you all have plenty of time to follow my author site. I don't want anyone left behind. I know change is difficult, so I won't hold it against you if you don't follow me after the move, but I certainly hope you do.

Dont forget to enter my giveaway for a signed copy of Eve Of Samhain. Contest ends May 25th!

Meet an Author Monday & a giveaway!!

2011-05-09T06:33:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday, peeps!

I can't believe it's May already. We've almost hit Summer, and it feels like the year has flown by!

Eve Of Samhain was published May 25th of last year, so as you can probably imagine, I'm feeling all kinds of sappy right now. To mark the one year anniversary of my debut novel I'm celebrating by giving away a signed copy of Eve of Samhain. Woot!

The giveaway details are as follows:

You must be a follower of this blog
You need to sign up for my newsletter here (this baby is only going out a few times a year)
You need to leave a comment with an email addy so you can be reached if you win

Giveaway will run through Midnight of May 25th, after which the winner will be drawn via a number generator at Random Org. US residents only please.

Thanks for making my first year as a published author awesome! Good luck!

Oh! Almost forgot! I'm hangin' out at Sugarbeat's Books today, talking about my favorite character in my erotic suspense novel, Obsessed. Make sure you stop by and leave a comment for a chance to win a $20 Amazon GC.

On to the hop!

Authors! Have a book out? Are you under contract for publication? Make sure you join in the hop. This is a great way to network your blog and let readers know who you are!

Here's how it works:

READERS:

Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many "new to you" authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well. Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog! We'd love to chat with you!

AUTHORS:

Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.
You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.
Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don't create a post for the hop, your readers won't have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!
The purpose of the hop is to meet "new to you" authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!
If you'd like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.

Six Sentence Sunday- My first time!

2011-05-07T23:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

So, I'm a Six Sentence Sunday virgin! Well, I suppose since I'm posting this week I'm a virgin no more :)

I'm going to go ahead and post six sentences from my erotic suspense, Obsessed. I'm seriously in love with the hero, Nick and hope readers find him as shmexy as I do!

A little lead in to the following scene. Nick is numbing himself with booze at the local bar. The server who's waiting on him has her sights set on him, and he's not interested in the least.

Here goes:

At first glance, Shauna looked okay—tall, thin, and enhanced in all the right places. But when you looked deeper, the stress lines near her eyes were clearly visible, and her front teeth stuck out just a bit, suggesting her real line of work wasn’t slinging beer and cocktails.

Nick picked up his glass, swirling the amber liquid around before tossing it back in one fast gulp. “Sorry, babe. Still not interested.” The mere thought of another round of meaningless sex was about as appealing as a shit sandwich.

Yay! Hope you enjoyed the little blurb. Obsessed is available for purchase now through Loose Id.

Check out the other awesome sites that have posted six sentences here.

Comfort reads

2011-05-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

Good morning, and happy Saturday!

So, today I want to talk about comfort reads. You know what I'm talking about. That one special book (or several, lol!) that you go to when nothing else sounds good. That one feel good story that always puts a smile on your face.

I've got a couple of comfort reads I turn to when I've had a tough day. They are as follows:

Jamie and Claire's initial love story is one of my all time favorites. I've read this book at least 20 times and it never gets old.

I've had the paperback version of A Knight In Shining Armor on my bookshelf since I was in high school. It's worn, and the binding is falling apart from repeated readings.

A Kingdom of Dreams is another paperback I've held onto for what seems like forever. I've got a vivid memory of the first time I read this particular story. My oldest daughter was three and I read half the book while sitting on my front porch enjoying the nice weather.

What about you? What's your comfort read?

Happy Mother's Day vlog

2011-05-06T09:32:00.001-07:00

New feature at Cali Cheer Mom- Newsletter!

2011-05-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to make a quick post to let you know I'm starting up a newsletter. In it you will find information about my current and future projects, excerpts, deleted scenes, book recommendations etc.

I don't want to send this bad boy to anyone who doesn't want it, so you'll need to sign up to receive it. The link to the subscription form can be found in the right sidebar (which I've recently updated.)

You know you want to sign up! All the cool kids are doing it :)

(How's that for peer pressure?) Hahahaha!

Obsessed virtual tour day 4 + some major book pimpage

2011-05-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday, peeps!

Song of the day- Lovers In Japan by Coldplay

I'm hangin' out at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews today, talking about my latest release, Obsessed. Stop by and leave a comment! I love to chat! Also, the more comments you leave along the blog tour, the more chances you have at winning a $20 Amazon GC. Woohoo!!

On to the book pimpage!

If you're anything like me, you have a well-meaning husband who isn't quite sure what to get you for Mother's Day. And while I'd be happy as a clam if he and the girls simply cleaned my house, what I secretly yearn for (aside from a massage and maybe a new handbag) are books!

Yep...here is where I encourage you to buy books for yourself for Mothers Day. And yes, I'm a total enabler :) Like steamy, suspenseful reads? Check out my erotic suspense, Obsessed. It's got an angsty, brooding hero with a dark past, a heroine with anxiety and an addiction problem, and a seriously twisted stalker.
Like paranormal romance? Then you should try my Hanaford Park series. Each book is a stand alone, and features faeries, demons, witches, warlocks and all kinds of creepy underworld baddies.

Eve of Samhain
Pleasures Untold

Hope you have a wonderful day!